Swampbender
by Smileylion
Summary: Miyuki is a swamp girl. A waterbender and an outcast, she's seen visions of a strange fire nation woman since she was born. Suddenly, the woman gives her a message, to help her child. This message will test Miyuki's powers, and put the world in danger!
1. Chapter 1

**This is set 17 years after season 3 ended. I know I said I would do a different one next, but that was before Airbender. It now rules my life.**

**Swampbender Chp 01**

Dawn sunlight broke over the still morning air, misty from the velvety night. Silence draped the trees, animals blinked sleepily in the growing light. Vines swayed lightly in the gentle winds that played with the murky water, creating small patterns on the smooth surface. A squirrel-rat scampered over a small tree root, terrified squeaks breaking the silence like ice cracking. It ran into a hollow, and clutched a nut, glaring at the space outside. There was a sound of water rushing, and the squirrel-rat didn't have time to time before it was hit with water, guided by some unknown force.

Miyuki laughed as she saw the squirrel-rat shaking itself dry, chattering noisily and angrily. "That's for stealin' my nut!" She yelled after it, her bold accent making the words jibe and sing. She shook her head, her copper curls bouncing. "Steal my nuts, I'll steal your nuts you piece of…" she muttered, turning around. She jumped as she looked up and saw her master standing right in front of her. "Master!" She choked. "I was just…practisin'!" She giggled nervously, and rubbed the back of her head. "Sure is a nice day for waterbendin'!"

Master Huu folded his arms, a frown on his wrinkled face. Standing nearly a head shorter that his pupil, he still held more authority than the whole swamp tribe could muster up in a year. "The new light of day is the time when our energy begins to dip. Why waste it tormentin' squirrel-rats?" His deep, fruity voice filled the air around Miyuki.

She frowned sulkily, and grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "…stole my nuts. Everyone's against me today." She sighed. "I'm sorry Master." Bowing respectfully, she waited for him to talk.

Huu watched her sadly. "Pleasure is fleeting, young one, but wisdom lasts forever," he said slowly.

Miyuki's head snapped up. "If pleasure is fleetin', shouldn't we enjoy it while we can?" She smiled widely, her green eyes bright.

Huu sighed again. "By chasing pleasure, we don't notice the more important things." His tone turned strict. "So get up to that tree to begin your lesson!" He stalked (slowly and calmly) off into the vines.

Miyuki stuck her tongue out at the spot where he left. "What does he know," she asked herself. "I am a waterbender! This swamp obeys me!" To prove her point, she pulled a tiny strand of water around her neck like a necklace. She smiled, and started to walk away. The water splashed onto her clothes as she fell flat on her face. "Hell!" She yelped, and twisted onto her back. A tree root slithered smugly back into the mud behind her. "Ok, ok! I get it. You own yourself," she said hastily. "I am but a small part in the swamp of your greatness." The swamp, satisfied with her answer, did nothing.

Miyuki picked herself up, picking the mud off her clothes. A clomp caught, and smeared a long trail down her dark green wrap, a long piece of soft material that was slung carelessly over her shoulder, and wrapped around her waist. Her fists clenched, her eyelid twitched and she threw back her head and yelled to the treetops. "That tears it!" She lifted her arms and shot a jet of water, edges sharp as knives, into the mud beneath her. A wave of muddy water shot up, and she lifted it high above her head and tossed it into the distance. "That's why you don't mess with a waterbender!" She cried, laughing in victory. She folded her arms, and nodded sharply. She looked down, and saw that she was now standing on dry ground. She'd picked up so much mud there was only hard earth under her bare feet. "Whoops," she bit her lip. "Master Huu is not gonna be pleased."

A slight wind ruffled her curls, and she looked up, master Huu forgotten. "I didn't think you were comin' here today," she said softly. She looked to her left, and saw a woman standing there. Her long black hair was almost completely still, but looked as if it was blowing in the wind. It swirled around her face, like she was standing underwater. Her red and black dress hung motionless on her thin frame, her figure delicate, but holding back iron strength. She looked sadly at Miyuki, her caramel coloured eyes distant.

Miyuki looked back at her, brown boring into green. She barely breathed as the woman opened her mouth to speak. Her voice dimmed and throbbed, throaty tones wrapping around Miyuki's mind. "Help…" she whispered.

"Who are you?" Miyuki whispered.

"Help my child…please…" the woman breathed in deeply, her eyes widening. She fell gracefully, slowly backwards, and vanished. Miyuki looked at place where she had stood, stunned. The woman had never spoken before. Miyuki had seen her since she was a child, every so often. It started just for moments, then gradually built until the woman would stay with her for hours. No one could see her but Miyuki, and it had made her something of an outcast. Master Huu had seen her talent with waterbending, and had taken her in. She had no parents. Her mum had dies in childbirth, and her dad…Miyuki closed her eyes, hot tears burning. He hadn't ever been like her dad. He didn't want anything to do with the one who killed his wife, so he ignored her, even when he got sick with swamp gas disease and died. She sniffed angrily, rubbing her eyes. She turned her thoughts to the woman's message. She had looked so sad…like she was suppressing the need to say more, to express more. And who was her child? Why did she or he need help? What was going on outside the swamp?


	2. Bendables

_Bendables_

Huu sat cross-legged on the massive tree bough. He trained up here because the air was thin, so when he got onto the ground he had more air to use, so his bending was better. Miyuki didn't appreciate his reasoning, she just enjoyed the light-headed feeling she got when she bended. Huu shook his head, thinking of his pupil. He took her in after the Avatar and his friends came to the swamp. A sudden tornado had brought them crashing to the ground, and he had spent years trying to figure out the source. Until now. Huu closed his eyes, sitting up straight as he clasped his hands in front of his stomach. He wouldn't tell her. Not yet at least. She had enough to deal with seeing that strange vision, year after year. No, not yet. He took a deep breath in, feeling the power of the life around him flow into his mind.

Miyuki clambered over roots and ponds, until she reached the giant tree. She looked up, shading her eyes. Her master was up there, waiting. Boy, was he going to be mad at her. Showing up late, covered in mud! Yep, really mad…She wrinkled her nose, spreading out her hands. Water shot from the ground, lifting her up in a smooth, swirling column. Miyuki grinned, closing her eyes and feeling the rush of air as she flew upwards. She laughed loudly, lifting her arms higher above her head.

Huu jumped, opening his eyes. He got up, and walked to the side of the bough. Looking over, he squinted at the strange object flying towards him. Could it be…? His eyes widened as he started to lean back, but he was, as usual, to slow to escape Miyuki. He was covered in a huge wave of cold water as Miyuki shot upwards, over his head, dropping the water as she did so.

"YEEAAAHHHH!" Miyuki yelled as she somersaulted over the bough. She dropped like a stone, landing with one leg tucked under her, the other stretched out like a cat. She looked up, a wide grin on her face, and saw Huu standing over her, arms folded, eyebrow raised. She coughed awkwardly. "Uh, good morning Master…" she began, but began to wobble, she raised her arm, trying to regain her balance but fell on her bum. _Very_ dignified. Her mouth made a little _o _of pain, and she rubbed her behind as she got up. "Shall we get started then?" She asked sweetly, hands clasped behind her.

Huu rolled his eyes, and nodded. "Show me."

Miyuki stood next to him, facing outwards. She positioned her feet in the bending stature, and breathed slowly in and out, raising her hands, palms down, in front of her. She stood perfectly still for a few seconds, the wind blowing her hair. She breathed in deeper, out deeper, tiny droplets surrounding her body. She took a huge breath in, filling her whole body with oxygen, and held it. Her green eyes snapped open, and she shoved her hands forward, the water flowing in a huge jet from her hands. She moved fluidly, her weight shifting to her right knee, leaning on it, carefully harnessing the raw power of the water and bringing it around her head like a long whip. She brought her arm up, around her head, and directing the water at Master Huu. He raised his foot, kicking the water away, catching it with his hands. He pushed it back at her, and she deflected it with her palms protecting her body, and one leg straight out behind her. She absorbed the impact by leaning back, swirling her arms around the water until it became a ball, compacted and solid. She swiftly bent one arm behind her head, the other straight out at Huu. The water burst into tiny darts, shooting towards his unprotected form. His eyes widened. Let's see if she can deflect this, he wondered. He pushed them to one side, dissolving them back into water and punching a heavy weight of the cold liquid towards her. Miyuki watched the water coming towards her as if in slow motion. There was no way she would be able to deflect that force. He was testing her was he? Let him test _this_! She grinned, and leapt to one side. The wood beneath her disappeared, and she soared through the air. The wind stung her face as she fell to the earth, twisting and rolling. Air pressed in on her from all sides, but she fought against it, turning until she was like a dart, cutting through the air to the fast approaching trees.

Huu gasped and dropped the water. It poured over the sides with a splash, falling like rain to the swamp far below. He ran to the edge, searching the skies for his pupil. She hadn't…did she mean to do that? Did he expect too much of her? Oh no…please no…his world slowed to a standstill, and he could just stand there. He couldn't do anything. He had failed. He closed his eyes, a tear falling from them. He heard a distant rushing, like a strong wind. Or wave…his eyes snapped open and he ran to the far end of the bough. He kneeled, leaning over the edge. He saw something like a column of mist approaching him. She couldn't be…that was impossible for someone her age!

Miyuki stretched one arm above her head, punching through the air as she guided the millions of droplets of water upwards. She gave one final boost, and shot them away from herself, the momentum still making her fly. She twirled in the air, twisting to face Huu. She wrapped droplets around her legs and came to a rest opposite his astonished face, hovering just in front of the bough. "I win," she said triumphantly, grinning wickedly at him. His mouth dropped open, still too stunned to move. She took a deep breath in and closed her eyes, lifting her arms out from her body, water gathering into swirling balls under her palms. She lifted her chin, slowly opening her eyes, sharply looking into Huu's wide brown ones. In the space it took him to breath in, she snapped her arms in front of her, the water turning into a wide mass that shot towards his body. It slammed into him, knocking the breath from his lungs and pushing him backwards into the trunk. It froze into ice, and trapped him there. He struggles, but gave up with a sigh. "Well done." Huu muttered.

Miyuki floated back onto the tree bough, and did a little head-bang dance, dipping from side to side. "Hell yeah! I beat your ass Master!" She laughed, clapping her hands. "How do you like _that_!"

Huu frowned. "You shouldn't gloat on a victory," he began, but gave up after Miyuki did an air punch and started to prance around singing "Oh yeah, oh yeah, I beat your ass, I beat your ass!"

Huu coughed loudly, distracting her. She looked at him, then remembered that he couldn't bend the water away from himself. "Oops! Sorry Master!" She lifted her hands, frowning in concentration. The water splashed onto his bare feet as it fell harmlessly and innocently from his body. He brushed the few leaves that had settled on his shoulders onto the bough. "Well done," he began, sitting cross legged on the wood. Miyuki sat too, staring at him. "You have reached almost Master level."

"Alright!" Miyuki jumped up and did an air punch. "Wait," she froze, looking down at him. "Almost!"

Huu smiled and closed his eyes. "You still need to control your emotions. When waterbendin', the hardest thing to do is not get carried away. The point is not to hurt your opponent, but to stop him hurtin' you. It is only then you can win or loose with honour." He finished and opened his eyes.

Miyuki's mouth was open. "But I don't care about honour! You don't gain it by winnin' or loosin;, you gain it by…" she stopped, searching for words.

"Yes?" Huu prompted. He was interested in what she had to say, since she was destined to have more honour than anyone. Well, apart from the Avatar maybe…

Miyuki clenched her fists, thinking hard. "You gain it by…" A loud horn broke her off. Her face lit up at the sound. "Swamp Skiing Throwdown!" She yelled happily. "Master, please please _please_ can I go now?"

Huu sighed, and shook his head in exasperation. "Yes, you've finished your trainin' for now. But come back at midnight to.."

"Yeah, yeah, sure thin' Master!" Miyuki ran to the edge of the tree, and turned back to wave before leaping off the tree.

Huu let out his breath with a huff. Tonight he would tell her about her destiny.


	3. Swamp Skiing Throwdown!

Swamp skiing throwdown!

Four teenagers stood at the edge of the water, staring at the small waves that lapped at their toes.

"All I'm sayin' is it ain't manly to try and build and raft to float on and drink tea!" a loud, brash voice echoed across the murky river.

"I ain't gonna drink _tea_ Yor!" A whiney voice retaliated. "I was gonna drink swamp brew! And don't question my manhood."

Yor crossed her arms. "Well, I just think that right now, I got more manhood than you Kell!" She sighed deeply. "Sometimes I don't know why I bother with you." She turned and stalked off to sit primly on a tree root.

Kell bit his lip. Yor was the natural leader, and with her dark brown hair and flashing blue eyes, he couldn't argue with her. What she lacked in height, she made up for in volume. He wiped his thin hands on his bare chest, and kicked the pile of wood away.

Ru watched him sadly, her pale blonde hair blowing limply across her face. "Hey Mu, you sure you're ready for this?" she spoke quietly to her brother.

"Hell yeah!" Mu squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest. "She may think she's better at waterbendin', but I can still beat her ass at throwdowns!"

Ru smiled at her brother, and looked towards the trees. "Shouldn't she be here already?" she wondered. "Where could she be?"

Yor stood and strode to Ru, her short stocky figure almost half the height of Ru's willowy form. "She's got a bendin' lesson, stupid." She crossly folded her arms.

Ru eyes lit up slowly. "Oh yeah!" She exclaimed calmly. "I love bein' a waterbender! Don't you just wish you could do it too Yor?" She sighed dreamily.

"No!" Yor stamped her foot, looking like a platypus bear about to charge. "It's a dumb skill! Why would I wanna waterbend? Watcha getting' at!"

Ru's limpid eyes filled with tears. "Don't talk about Miyuki like that! She's kind and brave and funny and sweet and you're…you're NOT!" She glared at Yor, sniffing and wiping her eyes.

"Hey!" Mu pushed past Ru, roughly elbowing her out of the way. "Why did you make my baby sister cry, huh Yor?


	4. Thunder

Thunder

Mu stomped over to where Ru and Miyuki lay. His hair dripped down his face, into his burning eyes. He grabbed Ru's hand and hauled her up. She growled in displeasure, and opened her eyes. "Hey, Mu! You ok?" She asked.

He let go of her hand and kicked Miyuki with his foot. "Get up!" He yelled.

Miyuki grumbled. "No."

Mu grabbed her clothes and pulled her up. "Yes. I got a score to settle with you." He growled.

Miyuki rubbed her head. "Huh?" She said grumpily. "You're awful grumpy for someone who just their ass handed to them by a girl." She grinned widely.

Mu ground his teeth together. "You didn't play fair."

"Whatever Mu. Hey, I really gotta go. I got a bendin' lesson." Miyuki tried to shove past him, but he side stepped her and blocked the way.

Kell and Yor ran up behind him. "Hey, what's goin' on?" Yor asked Ru.

Ru shrugged unhappily. "I dunno. C'mon Mu, let her go."

Mu glared at his sister. "I'm gonna talk to you later." He returned his stare to Miyuki. "You cheated."

Miyuki's eyebrows rose. "Come again?" She placed her hands on her hips.

Mu smiled nastily. "You can't stand to lose, can you?" He said quietly.

"You're one to talk!" Miyuki replied, a laugh in her voice.

Mu eyed her. "You're pathetic, you know that?" He began to circle her. "You always gotta be better than us."

Miyuki turned her head, watching him. "That ain't true."

He laughed. "Aren't you special enough?" He spat at her. "Getting' bendin' lessons from the Master? What, you're so much better just 'cos your parents died?"

Miyuki's eyes hardened. "You wanna stop talkin' right about now," she growled.

Mu continued mercilessly. "Your dad hated you. Probably why you always gotta prove you're best at everythin'. He got it right. Everyone hates you. You're a freak! Prancin' around with your weird style of waterbendin'. You ain't nothin' but a worthless little freak!" He yelled the last word into her face.

Miyuki's mouth hardened. She yelled and pushed him down into the mud. He was taken by surprise, and rolled to one side and she tried to punch him. He lunged out with his fists, but she made a long rope of water and wrapped it around his neck, bringing his head slamming against her, where she threw him into a headlock. She reached out with her other fist and began punching his face over and over again. Tears blurred with sweat as he struggled against her.

"STOP IT!" Ru cried. She flung herself into the melee, dragging Miyuki off him. Blood coated his face. She had broken his nose.

Miyuki breathed heavily, glaring at the other teenagers. They all stared at her, not saying a word. She shook her head and ran off into the trees.

Ru watched her go, holding a piece of fabric she'd torn off her shirt to Mu's nose. The sky rumbled above them, the sky clouding over and growing dark. "We should go," she said sternly.

Miyuki stopped in a clearing, letting the tears fall down her face. She sobbed, clenching her blood stained fists. "Leave me alone," she whispered. She turned and saw the strange woman again, standing behind her, her eyes full of sadness. "Please…help my child…" the woman whispered.

"LEAVE!" Miyuki screamed at her. The woman vanished as if she was blown away by the wind. Miyuki balled her hands into fists. She had to get to her lesson. She wiped her eyes, spreading her hands and lifting up tiny droplets of water. She sucked them onto her skin, until her skin glinted and shone thousands of tiny crystals were embedded in it. She concentrated, and flexed her muscles before rising slowly into the air and shooting off over the treetops. Rain began to hiss down, splashing onto her face. She ignored it, and flew right into the eye of the storm. Thunder crashed around her, making her ears ring. She yelped as a bolt of lightning shot down inches from her foot. "Whoa…" she breathed. "Don't wanna get caught in that!" She urged the water to make herself fly faster. More and more bolts of lightning struck the ground, the rain feeling strangely hot and tingly against her skin. Droplets rolled off her skin and she flew ever faster and faster. A clap of thunder sounded, and Miyuki squeezed her eyes closed, as if that would drown out the din. She didn't see the bolt of light gather in the clouds above her. Her eyes flew open as the bolt struck her in the back, her mouth wide in a silent scream. The bolt coursed through her entire body, filing her up with its raw power. It felt…strange. Angry, but clever. Her minds eye filled with weird images and strands of electricity. She felt her body curl up into a ball in mid-air. Her hair crackled with electricity. Small bolts of lightning shot out from her body, lighting up the sky in a freakish firework show. She twitched, feeling the power course through her body, changing her from the inside out. She gasped as her eyes flew open, and in her minds eye she soared at dizzying speeds over hills, lakes, mountains, volcanoes. The vision blurred around the edges as she focused on a small group of nomads, skipping and dancing over green fields. She flew over them, and she saw a girl look up at her, her purple eyes wide. Miyuki flew faster and faster, reaching the outskirts of a huge city, an imposing wall protecting it. She screwed up her eyes and tried to brace herself as she shot straight towards the stone, but opened them as she vanished straight through it. It was like she didn't have a body, just vision. She turned her eye forwards again as she came to a large…no _huge_ building, like a palace, with the earth kingdom symbol flying proudly from it's wall. She stopped in front of the flag, quickly veering upwards and into a room, where a young boy sat, surrounded by officials. Her vision passed over him quickly, as he wasn't important, focusing on the people around him. A man bowed respectfully, a woman and a young man following him. He lifted his head, his dark brown hair bound up in the conventional bun. Miyuki would have gasped if she could when she saw his face. He had a flame-shaped burn over his left eye. He was smiling though, and his mouth moved as if he was talking, but all Miyuki could hear was a rushing like wind around her ears. The woman straightened up, and Miyuki's heart stopped. She was the woman in her vision. Wait…no, she wasn't…but she was almost identical. The woman's daughter? The vision moved on again, now focusing on the young man beside them. The vision clung to him, showing Miyuki the proud line of his jaw, the threads of his red clothes, his piercing yellow eyes. She stared at him…he was important, she just knew it. He sighed slightly, and rolled his eyes. He folded his arms, obviously bored. The vision clouded, but leaving a trace of a voice ringing around Miyuki's skull.

"_The world will end in a month. Find them."_


	5. Lightning never strikes twice

Lightning never strikes twice

Master Huu knelt on the tree bough, almost like he hadn't moved since Miyuki left. Well, in truth he hadn't, not much anyway. He narrowed his eyes as he felt his student's emotions course through the edge of his mind. He lifted his hand from the wood, breaking off the connection. He sighed, rubbing his palm over his face. Miyuki was so unpredictable. He doubted she would show up to their evening lesson. After a throwdown she either wallowed in self-pity, drinking her own body weight in swamp brew, or with puffed up with self importance and the knowledge that she was unbeatable and drank slightly more than her own weight in swamp brew. He shook his head sadly, and was about to turn from the fantastic view, when he heard a distant rumble. He turned slowly back to the view, watching the darkening skies. Clouds scattered across the sky far too fast for normal storms. He knelt again and sent his awareness into the nearest bird, creatures who often knew more about the weather patterns than he could ever hope to understand. The bird's mind opened to him, filling his mind with a high pitched screech of fear and images of the other birds being struck by small bolts of lightning straight out of the sky. That was no accident…they were being targeted. Huu's mind jolted back to him as the bird's vision was blinded by white, then slammed down by a black wall. He gulped down air, his lungs heaving. He stood shakily, searching the ground for the clearing where the village lay. His mouth dropped open as a bolt shot down to the ground, and stayed there. Like a pillar of deathly light, another shooting down to the ground next to it, then another and another until the village was surrounded by a cage of lightning. Huu frowned and jumped off the bough, shooting through the sky in a column of water.

Miyuki's eyes flew open, wondering where she was. Wind whistled around her hair, and she gasped as she realised she was falling through the air. She was falling backwards, lying on the air like she was on a bed. She threw her arms out to the sides, as if she was on a cross. She stopped immediately. The air was still around her, water vapour cushioning her back. She panted, catching her breath. She spread her fingers slightly, straightening herself up slowly, standing in the air. Her body was filled with power, the slightest water responding to even the tiniest movement. She was stunned, she had never been able to control small amounts of water so well…not like a master. She curled her fingers slowly, balls of water appearing from the air around her, floating in front of her. She half laughed, but dropped the water when a loud crash jolted her body. That wasn't the storm…that was a wave. Her mouth set in a line, she pushed her arms downwards, pinning them to her sides. She shot up like a cork out a bottle. She turned in mid-air and flew towards the village, following the sound of the wave. Vapour stuck to her body, carrying her high.

Miyuki screwed up her eyes in the sudden light. "What the…" she breathed as she saw a cage of light trapping the village. A huge water whip whirled around from the centre, striking the cage. Sparks flew off the bolts, showering the trees. A small bolt shot off a big one, striking the stem on the whip. It burst into droplets, and fell onto the village like rain. Miyuki's mouth dropped open. Surely there were other waterbenders…not just one! But the village was still, as if nothing stirred within it. The lightning faded, leaving nothing but the smell of scorched earth and white streaks on Miyuki's eyes. She kicked her feet out, squeezing more speed out of the vapour. She sped up, ignoring the tears that streaked across her face. It couldn't be…the waterbenders just defeated the lightning, surely! That's why it left…not because…Miyuki shook her head, screwing her eyes up briefly. She glared and flew closer to the village, the smell of burning getting stronger.

Destroyed huts passed beneath her. Smoke rose from the ashes of boats. Broken wood and vines draped the houses like cobwebs. Miyuki slowed down, floating into the carnage. Dry heat burnt her eyes, the smoke stinging her nose. She covered her nose with the back of her hand, and screwed up her eyes, squinting as she looked around. Ash fell like black snow around her, turning the village grey and coating her body. She rubbed her face, smearing it into her skin. Now she was grey too, matching the degraded and dismal landscape. She stepped carefully around the wood and small fires. Her foot caught on something heavy, and she sprawled to the ground. She cried out in pain, and shifted around to a sitting position. She rubbed her ankle, and looked for the thing that tripped her. Her mind stopped as she saw it. Yor's sightless eyes stared up at her, her mouth open in terror. Her chest steamed and smoked from the burn mark on it. Her hand lay out to the side, her fingers curled. It was like she died begging for mercy. Bile rose to Miyuki's mouth and her stomach heaved, but she swallowed, forcing the bitter taste down. She scrambled up, tears running down her face. Her mouth was open in a silent sob, and her eyes looked around of their own accord. Kell lay over a beam, one arm stretched out as if he was reaching out to Miyuki for help. Miyuki looked away, and saw something she wished she hadn't. Her feet gravitated towards it, pulling Miyuki forwards. She dropped to her knees, sobbing and gulping. Ru lay before her, stretched out on her back, her leg twisted at an unnatural angle. One arm lay underneath her blonde hair, the other reached up to the sky, stiff and white, the fingers curled grotesquely. Like Yor, her mouth was open as if she was screaming. Her eyes were wide and glassy, her skin grey and like stone. A tear was drying on her face. Miyuki leaned over, her own tears dropping on the burnt ground. She carefully closed Ru's eyes. She wiped her nose, scrambling to her feet. Mu lay a few feet away from Ru, lying on his front, a burn like Yor's on his back. Miyuki could tell what he was about to do, he had obviously tripped, as he was running to save his sister. A small branch lay under his foot. Something so small had meant the difference between life and death. Miyuki closed her eyes and forced herself to walk away from the bodies. She walked around the hut where she grew up, stepped over the desk that she learnt numbers at and climbed over the tree she used to climb, now fallen. She whipped around as she heard a small gasp, looking around franticly. She saw a body convulsing near another smouldering hut. She sprinted towards it, leaping over dead waterbenders and corpses. She skidded in front of the body, falling to her knees. "Master…" she breathed.

Huu's face was covered in blood, his hands trembling. "Mi…Miyuki?" He whispered.

Miyuki held his hands in her's. "I'm here," she said, tears running down her face, leaving streaks in the ash. "Everything's going to be fine, Master."

Huu coughed, a trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth. "No…too late…" he croaked.

Miyuki screwed up her face, shaking her head. She gasped as she saw the huge burn through Master Huu's chest. "Don't…please. I can't lose you…please!" She whispered through her tears.

Huu laughed quietly, but it turned into a cough. "You don't need my anymore…Miyuki. You…never needed me." He took a ragged breath in. "I…have to tell you something…" He squeezed her hand tightly.

"No…save your strength, Master!" Miyuki said thickly. She tried to smile. "Otherwise, you won't be able to yell at me anymore."

Huu smiled. "Close…your eyes. I have to…tell you…" He closed his eyes and took another deep breath. "About…your powers…"

Miyuki's mind flinched away from Huu's at first, but soon it relaxed and let him pass through the veil of fear and sadness.

"_The Avatar…came here many years ago…" Huu began in her mind slowly. Miyuki saw pictures and memories of the young boy in her mind's eye._

"_Master…" she breathed, but the words died on her lips. She saw a huge tornado sweep up from the swamp and bring the Avatar crashing down. "What happened?"_

_Huu laughed. He showed her another picture, of a birth. The people's hair was blown out to the side, as if in a high wind, and the structure looked…wonky. "Your mother," Huu told her. "She died shortly after that."_

_Miyuki turned away from the picture, seeing Huu standing beside her. "Master, why are you showing me this?"_

_Huu sighed. "Child, you caused that tornado. It happened the moment you were born. You brought the Avatar here." His voice was serious, and sad. "You have powers you can't even imagine. Look…" he showed her a picture of herself, playing in the schoolyard at ten years old. Her small hand was thrust forwards, a ball of air and water suspended in the air. A younger Huu watched her from the schoolhouse. "You can control the smallest amount of water, even in other elements."_

_Miyuki stared at him. "I'm…not the Avatar!" She cried._

_Huu laughed. "No child, you're not the Avatar. But you're pretty close. Air and earth both contain a small amount of water, and you can control that water to make the element obey you. The only one you can't is…"_

"_Fire." Miyuki finished for him._

_Huu nodded. "That's why you can pluck water vapour from the air, to make you fly. It's a skill no waterbender has ever been able to do before. You are the first of your kind. However," Huu sighed deeply. "As you grew older, you lost the instinctive way you controlled the elements. You used only water, occasionally air recently, but never earth."_

"_But…the mud!" Miyuki broke in._

"_Mud is very wet though. You can control any amount of earth, apart from sand and extremely dry earth. You just haven't tried it yet." He smiled at her. "But…I fear you will have to do that on your own, my dear." He coughed weakly._

"_No!" Miyuki yelled._

_Huu's body began to fade. "I can't hold on much longer…" His voice was distant._

_Miyuki reached out to him. "But…what about the woman! And…I was struck by lightning and was taken to a big city with a wall and…"_

_Huu shook his head. "I don't know. Just…follow your destiny, and your feet will take you were you need to go."_

_Miyuki sobbed. "No! Please! Don't leave me!" She stretched her hand out desperately, willing her feet to move closer, but they couldn't. _

_Huu smiled sadly and calmly at her. "Don't be afraid of death, Miyuki. Remember, if you listen hard enough you can hear every living thing breathing together, you can feel everything growing. We're all livin' together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree. Time is an illusion."_

_A tear ran down Miyuki's face. "And so's death," she whispered._

_Huu nodded and smiled at her. "We'll always be connected, remember that," his voice echoed and his body blurred into blinding light, his words fading into silence._

Miyuki returned to her body with a gasp. Huu hands slumped down through her fingers. His eyes were closed, and his chest was still. Miyuki gently wiped the blood off his old face. He looked so peaceful…as if he was asleep. Miyuki knelt for a moment, letting the tears fall onto her hands. She slowly stood, looking down at her Master. She swallowed, and stepped back from his body. "Thank you, Master," she whispered. She looked up to the sky, her face brave. She gathering vapour like steam around her, then shooting into the sky, carried away from the smoking remains of her home by the gentle wind. She had to follow her destiny, even though she didn't know where it would lead her.


End file.
